The Bengals officially took restricted free agent wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher off the market Tuesday. After offering a one-year tender at the lowest level to the fourth-year pro out of Ohio State, the team agreed on a deal to lock him in with the Bengals for one more season.

The move didn't come as a surprise, rather the latest chapter of contentment. For the man snatched off waivers from the Bears on Christmas of 2012, Cincinnati has felt more and more like home.

"I've had a sense of comfort in Cincinnati for whatever reason," he said. "I just have found it to be an easy place to play. It has a lot to do with the people that are around. It's been a fun place to play. I knew I would be back there; I knew it was just a matter of getting the numbers worked out."

Sanzenbacher received limited playing time last year in a reserve slot receiver role. He caught six passes for 61 yards on a total of 80 snaps. His most impactful play of the regular season came in corralling a critical first-down reception late in a 27-24 victory at Detroit.

His role should expand next season with the departure of Andrew Hawkins to Cleveland. The change will allow new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to utilize a player coaches raved about in limited playing time last year.

"Dane is a player with an instinctive feel for the game," said Bengals wide receivers coach James Urban, "and he should have the chance for more playing time this year than we were able to find for him last year. He's got assets that can help make us better."

Mohamed Sanu will enter camp as the starter in the slot slot but when the Bengals flex to four wide receivers or in third-down situations Sanzenbacher should see more work.

Of course, raving about the small sample size success sounds great theoretically, but in returning with increased opportunity in front of him Sanzenbacher knows his 34 career receptions still must show sustainability.

"You only really know yourself how much you can do when you actually go out and do it," he said. "I can have all these scenarios in my head of what I can do and what I can perform out there but until you get the opportunity and go out and do it you don't really know. I'd love to say there's a lot more to (my game) but you just have to show it."

The good news for Sanzenbacher is he'll be given the opportunity to do so.